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Dear Child of God, what within your life’s tapestry needs to come to the manger? Will you serve as stage manger for this year’s arrival of Baby Jesus in someone’s life? Whose faith and whose spirits need to be nourished? Which sibling, parent, cousin, neighbor, co-worker, church member or stranger needs to hear the voice of God saying, “I see you; I am with you” to them?
You see, as followers of Jesus, we are called to be mangers. We are here to be signs of light when the world seems dim. You and I can be a humble source of tenderness when the world offers too much roughness and hurt. We can remind others that – even when promissory notes with others no longer hold true – God made a sacred covenant with us and for us.
Being Christian means you and I at times must serve as small cradles of hope and compassion, welcoming tables where others may come and nibble on our faith. In this way, they will come to know a God of grace who does not abandon us, but rather restores us.
This message is excerpted from “This wobbly manger” by Venice R. Williams in the December 2018 Gather magazine.